A cable connector is used to connect a flat cable such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board or a flexible flat cable (FFC) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a connector of the prior art.
In this drawing 811 is a housing for a connector made of an insulating material. A cable insertion recessed portion 813 is formed to receive and accommodate the leading end portion of a flat cable 901. Terminals not shown in the drawing are mounted inside the cable insertion recessed portion 813, and each terminal is able to make contact with a conductive trace 951 exposed on the surface of the leading end portion of the flat cable 901. The connector is mounted on a substrate not shown in the drawing such as a circuit board. In this way, the conductive traces 951 on the flat cable 901 inserted into the cable insertion recessed portion 813 of the housing 811 can establish an electrical connection with the conductive traces on the board via the terminals.
The connector also has lock members 881 held by the housing 811. The lock members 881 are accommodated and held inside the lock accommodating recessed portion 817 connected to both ends of the cable insertion accommodating portion 813. Each lock member 881 includes a cantilevered movable arm portion 883 extending forward from the rear, an engaging protrusion 885 formed near the leading end of the movable arm portion 883 and projecting upwards, and a release operation piece 886. The engagement protrusions 885 have a substantially triangular side profile with the hypotenuse formed in front. The upper end of the release operation piece 886 passes through a slit formed in the ceiling of the lock accommodating recessed portion 817 and protrudes to the upper surface of the housing 811.
When the leading end portion of the flat cable 901 is inserted into the cable insertion recessed portion 813 in front of the housing 811, the left and right sides of the leading end portion of the flat cable 901 are inserted into the lock accommodating recessed portions 817. Because the sides overcome the hypotenuse in front of the engaging protrusions 885 as they move forward, the movable arm portions 883 are elastically deformed and the engaging protrusions 885 are pushed downward. As the leading end portion of the flat cable 901 moves further into the cable insertion recessed portion 813, the notch portions 914 formed in the sides of the leading end portion of the flat cable 901 reach the engaging protrusions 885, and the spring action of the movable arm portions 883 lift the engaging protrusions 885 to engage the notch portions 914.
Because the flat cable 901 is locked, it cannot become inadvertently detached from the housing 811. When the flat cable 901 is detached, the release operation pieces 886 are displaced downward to lower the engaging protrusion 885, disengage the notch portions 914, and unlock the flat cable 901.
Patent Document 1: JP 2011-204509 A